Postal examination-case



(No Model.)

4J. STRAUGHAN. POSTAL EXAMINATION CASE.

Y No. 435,254. Patented Aug. 26, 1890.A

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN STRAUGHAN, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

POSTAL EXAM NATION-CAS E.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 435,254, dated August 26, 1890.

Appnmion nea May 2e, 1890.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN STRAUGHAN, of New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and Improved Postal Examination-Case, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact dey scription.

In the United States postal vservice the post-office clerks and railway mail-clerks are put through a test to show their speed in and knowledge of distributing postal matter, which test consists in distributing from memory cards representing post-'oices in suitablylabeled pigeon-holes of the case; and the object of my invention is to produce a case which will be specially adapted to this purpose, and which will greatly facilitate the examination.

To this end my invention consists in a case constructed substantially as hereinafter described and claimed. l'

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a perspective front View of the case embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed View showing the arrangement of labels in the case and Fig. 4 is a cross section of the same on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

The case A is preferably rectangular in form, having its lower portion provided with receptacles A', containing shelves and provided with suitable doors a. The upper portion of the case A is provided Witha series of pigeon-holes ct of the usual construction, said pigeon-holes being of a size adapted to receive various-sized cards. The case A is also provided with a suitable curtain B, which is hung upon spring-actuated rollers in the usual manner, and is adapted to be drawn down over the front of the case, so as to protect the pigeon-holes from dust.

Hinged to a block c on the back of the case A is a'brace O, adapted to rest upon the oor in the rear of the case and act as a support for the same. The shelf D is arranged upon the front portion of the case, the length of the shelf corresponding to the length of the case, and the shelf having suitable flanges D Serial No. 353,220. (No model.)

in order to hold the cards upon the shelf. The shelf D rests upon brackets E, which project outwardly from the face of the case, said brackets being fixed to blocks E', which fit closely in the pigeon-holes a', being held firmly in position therein by the upper and lower partitions a2 of the pigeon-holes. It will thus be seen that the shelf maybe arranged at any desired height upon the case by simply removing the blocks E from one set of pigeon-holes and inserting them in another set at a desired height in the case. A strip b of suitable material is arranged in each pigeon-hole a', near the upper part thereof, said strip extending across the top of the pigeon-hole and having its ends attached to the vertical partitions a3 between the pigeon-holes. The cards d, containing the names of places or other appropriate naines, are held between the strip b and the partitions a2, the outer portion of said cards being bent at right angles to the partition a2, so as to form a suitable display surface d for the naines to be inscribed upon. The cards d are inserted in pairs, so that the part CZ of one will extend upwardly and the corresponding part of the other will extend downwardly, thereby furnishing space for two or more sets of names.

In practice the cards to be distributed may be placed upon the shelf D, where they may vbe conveniently reached by the operator.

When the device is not being used, the shelf D and its supporting-brackets may be removed from the case and the curtain B drawn over the fron t to protect the pigeon-holes from dust.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- Y 1. A postal examination-case comprisinga case or cabinet having a series of pigeonholes therein, a support hinged to the back of the case, and a removable shelf extending across the front of the case, substantially as described. v

2. In a postal examination-case, the combi nation, witha case or cabinet having a series of pigeon-holes therein, of a removable shelf extending across the front of the case and provided with supporting-brackets adapted to be held inv the pigeon-holes of the case, substantially as described.

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port C hinged thereto, a series of pigeon-holes arranged therein, and a curtain adapted to x 5 be drawn over said pigeon-holes, and a shelf D, having supporting-brackets E, provided with blocks E', adapted to rest between the horizontal partitions of the pigeon-holes, substantially as deseribed,and `for the purpose zo set forth.

JOHN STRAUGHAN.

Witnesses:

RICHARD F. STRAUGHAN, JAMES W. STRAUGHAN. 

